Bob Putnam, Times Staff Writer
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
SEMINOLE — For weeks, Seminole has been vexed by an offense that has been unable to produce the big hit at the right moment. The Warhawks' three losses have each been by a run.
On Wednesday, it appeared to be the case again.
Seminole trailed rival Osceola (9-2) by a run entering the seventh inning. At that point the Warhawks had managed just two hits off starter Taylor Layner.
Layner started off by getting the first two batters out. Then Casey Jennings drew a walk, Giovanni Sardo hit a slow roller down the third-base line for a single and Alex McGathey walked. That set things up for Jordan Meyer, who hit a single that drove in two runs to give Seminole a dramatic 2-1 victory.
"It looked like it was going to be another tough loss," Warhawks coach Greg Olsen said. "We were very fortunate to score two runs off of Layner."
Seminole starter Jordan Doyle had a no-hitter through six innings. Still, he trailed after the Warriors' Scott Schlapinski scored on a two-out, bases-loaded passed ball in the fifth inning.
The Warhawks' offense was without Joey Krehbiel, who injured his non-throwing hand this week. Krehbiel started at shortstop but was held out of the batting order.
His absence showed as Seminole (8-3) had just five batters reach base through six innings. The Warhawks' best chance appeared to be wiped out after Michael Mann's blast down the leftfield line was ruled foul in the sixth, eliminating what would have been a two-run homer.
Seminole, though, found life with its last-minute heroics. After taking the lead, Krehbiel relieved Doyle and struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh.